Genetically predicted cognitive performance and risk of meniscal derangement: A 2-sample Mendelian randomization...

Area of Science:

• Genetics and Neuroscience
• Orthopedics and Musculoskeletal Health

Background:

• The relationship between cognitive function and meniscal derangement remains largely unexplored.
• Understanding potential genetic links can offer novel insights into disease etiology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the genetic association between cognitive performance and meniscal derangement using a 2-sample Mendelian randomization approach.
• To explore if genetic predisposition to higher cognitive function influences the risk of meniscal injuries.

Main Methods:

• Utilized summary-level data from large genome-wide association studies for cognitive performance and meniscal derangement.
• Employed single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as instrumental variables in a 2-sample Mendelian randomization analysis.
• Applied inverse-variance weighted (IVW), weighted median, and MR-Egger regression methods for robust association estimation and sensitivity analyses.

Main Results:

• Genetically predicted cognitive performance showed an inverse correlation with the odds of meniscal derangement.
• The IVW method indicated a significant association (OR=0.76, P=0.0002) per standard deviation increase in cognitive performance.
• Sensitivity analyses, including the weighted median method, supported a protective association, while MR-Egger did not find a significant link, and no significant pleiotropy was detected.

Conclusions:

• Higher genetically predicted cognitive performance is associated with a lower risk of meniscal derangement.
• The findings suggest a potential genetic basis for the link between cognitive function and knee meniscus health.
• Further research is needed to elucidate the specific neurocognitive and musculoskeletal mechanisms involved.